By Tom S. Noda
Computerworld Philippines
January 19, 2010

Officials of the Commission on ICT (CICT) are literally on a last hurrah for the creation of the Department of ICT (CICT) as they plan to push for the bill’s passage in the Senate until its last session day this year before the May elections.

In an interview with Computerworld Philippines, CICT chief Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III said he plans to be in the Senate all throughout the eight session days remaining of the legislative calendar.

“I plan to be there every session until the last day, because this is our last chance to get ICT bills passed,” Chua said.

The Senate’s regular sessions resumed on Jan. 18 and it is scheduled to adjourn on Feb. 5 which is the official start of the campaign period for national candidates.

Chua revealed all the other CICT commissioners will also be in the Senate and their role will be to provide assistance to Sen. Edgardo Angara, sponsor of the Bill 2546, mandating DICT’s creation.

The House of Representatives already passed HB 4300 for the same purpose in 2008.

“We’ll be there in the Senate to respond to interpellations,” Chua added.

If approved, DICT will take over the Commission on Information and Communication Technology, the National Computer Center, Telecommunications Office and the Communications Planning Service division. It will also take over the communications-related functions of the Department of Transportation and Communications.

The DICT clamor, now almost 8-years-old, recently earned support from various government and private organizations including foreign chamber groups. These groups are: American, Australian-New Zealand, Canadian, European, Japanese and Korean business chambers; the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters, Inc.; Management Association of the Philippines; Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Business Processing Association of the Philippines; Contact Centers Association of the Philippines; and National ICT Confederation of the Philippines.

For NICP, the group believes DICT will propel social and economic growth, citing that the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector alone contributed export revenues worth US $6 billion in 2008 and created about 400,000 jobs despite the financial crisis.

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